Disease-Specific Websites by the Lymphoma Research Foundation

Despite the reality that there are so many subtypes of lymphoma, it is sometimes easy to forget that they are all entirely separate diseases. Saying that two people who have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma have the same disease is akin to saying that two people with heart disease suffer from the same disease: sure, it affects the same general part of the body but just about everything else is going to be drastically different.

This is highlighted by the Lymphoma Research Foundation's six different websites that address six different lymphoma diagnoses.

Follicular Lymphoma

This is the second most-commonly diagnosed subtype of NHL, accouting for roughly one quarter of all annual NHL diagnoses. Generally regarded as treatable but not curable, follicular lymphoma itself does not refer to one disease, but several. Check out focusonfl.org for more from the LRF.

Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Accounting for about six percent of NHL diagnoses annually, mantle cell lymphoma is a disease under almost constant revision, as researchers and heath care professionals learn more and more each day about this difficult subtype. Check out focusonmcl.org for more from the LRF on this disease.

Hodgkin's Lymphoma

More research ink has been spilled in the investigation of Hodgkin's than any other cancer, and stunning treatment success rates stand by as its glowing endorsement. Still, about one thousand people still die of this disease each year. Check out focusonhl.org for more from the LRF on this disease.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

CLL newly affects as many as 15,000 people each year, meaning that at least that many people will not only learn they have this disease each year but will also learn how confusing a clusterf**k is the naming system in lymphoma. This often-slow growing disease (chronic) has many treatment options. Check out focusoncll.org for more from the LRF on this disease.

Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma

Of course if you think CLL is bad in the name game, you ain't seen nothing yet. Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma isn't actually a disease, it's a category name for lymphomas affecting the T-cells. Technically you can't simply have PTCL; the diagnosis must be specified into something more confusing like adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. The most frequently diagnosed type of PTCL is, believe it or not, PTCL-NOS, 'not otherwise specified' (or 'we're not really sure'). Check out focusonptcl.org for more from the LRF on this disease.

Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma

The last of the LRF's disease-specific websites is devoted to anaplastic large cell lymphoma, representing about three percent of all NHL diagnoses. ALCL is a subtype of PTCL, meaning it affects the T-cells. It has a handful of its own subtypes, and is more commonly diagnosed in children. Check out focusonalcl.org for more from the LRF on this disease.